Linde Engineering and Linde Gases are divisions of The Linde Group, a world-leading gases and engineering company, each with operating subsidiary companies in North America distributing this new line of hydrogen generation plants. HYDROPRIME™ plants are manufactured and sold by the Hydro-Chem Division, with its principal location in Holly Springs, Georgia, which is part of Linde Engineering, and form the basis for on-site supply systems owned and operated by Linde Gases, who has its principal office in Murray Hill, New Jersey. Hydro-Chem supplies a full portfolio of on-site hydrogen generators with hundreds of installations around the world over the past 35 years.

"HYDROPRIME™ plants can offer many advantages over some currently available supply modes, such as merchant supply, electrolytic plants or conventional SMR plants," said Peter Hagenfeldt, head of Linde’s global ECOVAR® on-site plant business. "HYDROPRIME™ generators can deliver hydrogen at a low cost and reduce the impact on the environment compared with some other supply methods. Linde's on-site plant technologies, coupled with back-up systems supplied via our extensive merchant network, provide customers with greater security of supply." To date, ECOVAR® has installed five HYDROPRIME™ units at customer sites.

HYDROPRIME™ plants have been designed for remote, unattended on-site service at customer sites. They are part of the Linde ECOVAR® portfolio of standard on-site gas generation plants and also are suitable for captive operation.

"The unique HYDROPRIME™ product line covers the demand for on-site hydrogen generation units from 100 to 1,000 Nm3/h with an advanced and cost efficient technology," said Tilman Weide, executive vice president, hydrogen and syngas plants, at Linde. "Due to the proprietary reformer design and integrated heat recovery system, customers gain high thermal efficiency together with very low operating costs and reduced NOx emissions. The truckable plants have compact footprints and provide easy access for maintenance. All units are completely skid-mounted, in-house shop preassembled and factory-checked, which results in the shortest installation time - typically only two to three weeks."

HYDROPRIME™ generators are fully automatic with fail-safe controls to allow unattended operation. In addition to monitoring and adjusting the operating parameters, the control system allows the generator to sense the user's hydrogen demand, providing automatic load-following controls to reduce hydrogen production and, more importantly, the natural gas and power consumption during periods of reduced demand. As part of the Linde ECOVAR® supply package, or together with a full-service agreement, HYDROPRIME™ systems can be remotely monitored around the clock and are maintained through Linde Service Centers worldwide. They ensure hydrogen availability so that customers can focus on their core business.

About The Linde Group
The Linde Group is a world-leading gases and engineering company with around 49,100 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2010 financial year, it achieved sales of EUR 12.9 billion (USD 17.9 billion). The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services.

Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.